Touchinge ye Crosse in ye Banners

p. 272TOUCHINGE YE CROSSE IN YE BANNERS.

Before I speake directly to ye main Quest: I shall preface a word wch I conceive may not bee unsutable, consideringe present motions yt are amonge vs respectinge this case:

p. 2731. To starte new Questions, and to adde definitive determinations yrunto and yrby to sentence and censure ye carriages of other men: is a practise wch as I have euer conceived not to bee safe, so I suspect not to bee so warrantable, as many may Imagine at ye first appearance.

For it is ye order yt our Saviour prescribes in proceedinge wth a particular brother: Mat. 18. 15. If yy brother sinn against thee goe and convincingly rebuke him: (as ye greeke word Imports) first sett him downe by argumt and shew him his sinn, and then rebuke him for his sinn.

Now ye Conviction standes not in ye bare and Naked proposall of argts to ye Consideration of an other, but time and meanes must be graunted and Liberty to use both, which may bee answerable to ye waight of ye Cause or weakenesse of ye man. So in regard of both satisfaction may be seasonablely attained in a way of providence.

And if ys bee ye way when our Ld Xt prescribes for our dealinge wth a particular brother: yn much more should wee bee wary and tender that wee doe not suddenly censure many states and churches: professinge ye truth of Xt. for such ynge as have beene constantly received and practised as Lawfull: before sufficient Liberty of time and meanes have beene graunted for information herin:

2. If ye Qn: thus sprunge cannot for ye present bee settled wth Agreemt on all handes, it hath beene counted a course comely and pious rather to ripen ye truth by private and studious Inquiery untill all helpes of information can be brought in wch may drawe on a full determination, then to trouble and darken ye truth and distemper mens mindes by open contestation and opposition.

Follow ye truth we must. 4 Ephes. 15 yet if it bee possible and as much as in us lyeth, bee at peace wth all men. 12 Rom: 18 p. 273By sedulous and private inquiery on ye one hand: sending out for light and direction into other places, wee doe regularly according to our Compasse follow ye truth.

By sparinge contestation and censorius opposition, neither raisinge nor spreadinge unbrotherly surmises, and Jealousyes to blemish ye proceedings of either party: we follow peace. For it lyes in us not only in our power and liberty, but it lyes upon us necessarily; to preferre peace before contestation and heart burninge: while wee prejudice not ye truth but are watchefully painefull to persue it in a peaceable manner:

And ys was ye cause I doe truly affirme for my owne part, why I was willing to suspend expressinge myself in ys Case: Not yt I either could be feared whither ye Cross stood or fell, but yt I might in quietnes, waite and expect where at ye Last ye truth would appeare wth undeniable evidence: beinge seriously content as in ye sight of ye god of truth, it should appeare in any side.

p. 2743. That now I shall expresse myself (my witnesse is in heaven) is not like of opposition to any mans person or opinion. For ye Ld knoweth it is my affliction to differe in Judgmt, from any of my faithfull brethren: and most crosse is my inclination to expresse contrariety therin.

But beinge Importuned publiquely, privately by speech and Letter: and that by some to whom I owe much in ye Lord: and without whoes invitation it was in my Hearte never to sett penn to paper, on ys point: conceivinge my self thus constrained by call to expresse my sudden apprehensions

I shall crave leave by way of inquisition only to propose an argument or two:

p. 274Not yt I am a Friend to ye Crosse as an Idoll or to any Idollatry in it: or that any carnall Fear takes mee asyde and makes me unwillinge to give way to ye evidence of ye truth, becaus of ye sad Consequencies yt may bee suspected to flowe from it: I blesse ye Lord my consciens accuseth mee of no such ynge: but that as yet I am not able to see ye sinfulnes of ye banner in a civle use: Those who see more by grace received, and to whom ye Ld is pleased to give a more speedy discerninge of ynges propounded to you: must not take it Ill if those who have beene Longe settled in som principles (wch yy conceve to bee truth) are [illegible] of apprehension to see thorough ynges objected or yet to cleare yr owne thoughts; and yrfore need and crave longer time of consideration before they can come to determine any thinge.

4. When our faithfull fellow brethren in ye places from whens wee came will of necessity bee imbarked in ye Cause and Consequences now in agitation, I could wish it were well considered, whither it bee not only comely and safe but necessary in a kinde, yt ye Counsell and advice should bee craved to see whether any beame of truth may bee cast in from yns.

For bee it graunted that it ware ye unanimous consent of all our plantations to remove ye ensigne upon reasons stronge to our owne apprehension, which notwithstandinge beinge propounded to ye examination of other churches, might receive such answers as could by us in no wise be removed, how uncomfortable would it bee yt wee did not feele for direction in doubtfull cases, which wn wee receive wee are not able to gainsay.

The state of ye Qn may bee cleared and conceived by ye severall expressions followinge:

1. It is requisite yea necessary yt som banner be displayed in warre:

2. This banner in a civle way is as apt to attaine ye end in gatheringe and guidinge souldiers as any other: